Last year, the domestic smoking rate was 18.9%, which is a decrease of 1.4% compared to the previous year. The drinking rate also decreased by 0.6% during the same period, standing at 12.6%. The obesity rate increased by 0.7% compared to the previous year, reaching 34.4%.
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency published the 'Community Health Survey 2024 Statistics' on the 26th and noted this.
The community health survey has been conducted annually since 2008 in collaboration with 17 cities and provinces nationwide and 258 public health centers. It aims to identify the health status of local residents and serve as basic data for local health care policies.
The agency announced the main results last December and disclosed detailed information on health indicators through this statistical report. A total of 231,728 individuals participated in this survey, answering questions about smoking, drinking, obesity, physical activity, health information, medical use, and quality of life.
The region with the highest smoking rate in the country was Jeongseon-gun, Gangwon Province, with a smoking rate of 34.9%. Following that were Danyang-gun, North Chungcheong Province, at 30.5%, and Ongjin-gun, Incheon, at 28.6%. The area with the lowest smoking rate was Suji District, Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, recording 9.1%.
The high-risk drinking rate was highest in Ongjin-gun, Incheon, at 23.4%, followed by Hoecheon-gun, Gangwon Province, at 22.9%, Cheongyang-gun, South Chungcheong Province, at 21.5%, and Jeongeup City, North Jeolla Province, at 20.9%. Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, had the lowest high-risk drinking rate at 5.2%.
The obesity rate was highest in Danyang-gun, North Chungcheong Province, at 48.4%. Wando-gun, South Jeolla Province, was at 45.1%, while Cheorwon-gun and Hwacheon-gun in Gangwon Province followed at 45% and 44%, respectively. Suseong District, Daegu, and Seo District, Daejeon, had the lowest obesity rates in the country at 22.5%.
Kwak Ji-young, head of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, said, 'The community health survey plays a key role in providing health statistics at the local level that the national and local governments carry out together,' adding, 'The results can be utilized to establish effective health policies tailored to local characteristics.'